The neck is long and sinuous. A flamingo has 19 elongated cervical (neck) vertebrae allowing for maximum movement and twisting.

Head

Eyes.

The eyes are located on either side of the head.

Flamingo chicks have gray eyes for approximately the first year of life. Adult flamingos have yellow eyes.

Bill.

An adult flamingo's bill is black, pinkish, or cream-colored. Coloration varies according to species.

The bill is adapted for filter feeding. The upper and lower bill, or mandible, is angled downward just below the nostril.

The upper mandible is thin and flat, and functions like a lid to the lower mandible. The lower mandible is large and trough- or keel-shaped.

Tooth-like ridges on the outside of a flamingo's bill help filter food from the water.

Both the upper and lower mandibles contain two rows of a bristled, comb-like or hair-like structure called lamellae. When the mandibles come together, the lamellae of the upper and lower mandibles mesh.

The number of lamellae in a flamingo's bill varies according to species. The Andean flamingo has about 9 lamellae per cm (23 per in.). The James' flamingo has about 21 lamellae per cm (53 per in.). The Chilean flamingo has about 5 to 6 lamellae per cm (13-15 per in.).

James' and Andean flamingos have a deep, narrow trough-like lower mandible, which allows them to eat small foods such as algae and diatoms.

The lower mandible of Caribbean, greater, and Chilean flamingos is wide, allowing them to feed on larger foods such as brineflies, shrimp, and molluscs.

Tongue.

A flamingo's large, fleshy tongue is covered with bristle-like projections that help filter water and food particles through the lamellae.

Feathers

Adult feathers have a small, delicate, accessory feather arising from the main feather at the point where the quill merges into the shaft of the feather. This is called an aftershaft.

There are 12 principal flight feathers located on each wing. These black feathers are visible when the wings are extended.

Flamingos have 12 to 16 tail feathers.

Contour feathers cover all of the body except the bill and scaled parts of the legs and feet. They protect the skin from damage and help streamline the flamingo for flight.

Flamingos molt (shed and replace) their wing and body feathers at irregular intervals ranging from twice a year to once every two years. The molt is related to the breeding cycle.